Hospitality Industry: Leadership Series

Les Roches is committed to bringing the latest industry expertise to our students — right on campus.

The Leadership Series, an ongoing series of interactive conferences, invites leading industry professionals to share their perspectives and answer questions about current projects, new industry trends and future predictions.

Intrapreneurship: How to Innovate From Within

Eric FavreInventor of Nespresso

Eric Favre, inventor of global coffee manufacturer Nespresso, speaks about the importance of innovation. “When you join a large multinational company, you have to accept its structure and its corporate culture.However, there is nothing to stop you from questioning it. You must contribute your ideas subtly, without stepping out of line, but don’t be afraid to share your vision.”

From startup to star app

Amir SegallVP International HotelTonight

HotelTonight is a mobile app for last-minute hotel bookings that is shaking up the industry. In this interview, Amir Segall, VP International, discusses new trends in hospitality and explains how HotelTonight successfully caters to the needs of a niche market.

Customer Experience

Katharine PottingerChief Hospitality Officer at OASIS

Katharine Pottinger, Chief Hospitality Officer at OASIS, shared her experience on the following topic “Disrupting The Hospitality Industry : How is Oasis Transforming The Customer Experience Journey”

Why become an entrepreneur?

Chema GonzalezAlterkeys co-founder

Ever wondered what it’s like to start your own business? In August 2016, Alterkeys co-founder Chema Gonzalez came on campus to share his own personal experience starting a business. Talking with Les Roches students specializing in Entrepreneurship, Chema explained how he quit his job at one of the UK’s biggest banks to concentrate full-time on creating a hospitality startup.

Creativity & Innovation in luxury watchmaking

Jean-Marc PontrouéCEO of Geneva-based watchmaker Roger Dubuis

Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO of Geneva-based watchmaker Roger Dubuis, visited our campus as part of the latest edition of the Les Roches Leadership Series, dedicated to bringing industry insights and analysis to our students and the global Les Roches community. His presentation focused on the topics innovation and creativity in the watchmaking industry.

Innovation in a global world

Jean-Claude BiverCEO of Hublot

Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot, shares his leadership experience of running one of the world’s leading Swiss luxury watch companies.

3 tips on how to become a leader

John StaussRegional Vice President & GM of Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane London

John Stauss, Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane London, replies to the question of how a student becomes a leader by sharing 3 key tips.

How can you inspire leadership ?

Jonathan PerksCEO’s Trusted Leadership Advisor

Corporate Governance & Family Business

Piera MarchettiniFounder & Managing Partner, Adelaide Consulting

The Importance of Innovation

Michel GehrigVice President Talent Development Kempinski Hotels

Innovation in Food & Beverage

Gianluca SparacinoCorporate Food and Beverage EMEA Director of Four Seasons

In this edition, Gianluca Sparacino, explains in detail this new culinary concept and its worldwide implementation at the Four Seasons. He shares his experience as Food and Beverage Director at the prestigious and luxurious hotel chain that is the Four Seasons and also his perspective on the latest trends in the hospitality world and specifically in the Food and Beverage area.

Event Management

Simon Graveling Chairman of Stage One, a Mega Event Staging Company

Simon Graveling has been in the live events industry since the early eighties, and is now the Producer of Olympic-scale Ceremonies. He was instrumental in Athens 2004 and has also consulted to organizing committees in Beijing, the Asian Games in Doha and the IOC itself. Last summer he returned to Athens to serve as Head of Ceremonies and Production Project Director for the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Risk Management

John Ludlow Senior Vice President Global Risk Management of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

In this second volume of the Leadership Series, John Ludlow will address the importance of responsibility in today’s business environment and the role of risk management in making and keeping the business safe and resilient. Students will hear how Intercontinental Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel business, approaches this challenge and how it responds to threats and natural disasters through change and crisis management.

Hotel Project Management

Malcolm TurnerFormer Vice President of Technical Services for Hyatt International

In this first installment of the leadership series, Mr. Malcolm Turner joined the students of Les Roches to tell the story of the birth of a five-star hotel. As the former VP of Technical Services for Hyatt International, Mr. Turner has participated in more than his share of hotel openings. As a hotel grows from a hole in the ground to a towering monument, every step integrates different criteria such as safety, cost, comfort, and efficiency.